diff --git a/app/src/processing/app/debug/Compiler.java b/app/src/processing/app/debug/Compiler.java
index 77b362fe0..55329cd66 100644
--- a/app/src/processing/app/debug/Compiler.java
+++ b/app/src/processing/app/debug/Compiler.java
@@ -693,6 +693,8 @@ public class Compiler implements MessageConsumer {
 
   // 3. compile the core, outputting .o files to <buildPath> and then
   // collecting them into the core.a library file.
+  // Also compiles the variant (if it supplies actual source files),
+  // which are included in the link directly (not through core.a)
   void compileCore()
       throws RunnerException {
 
@@ -705,13 +707,9 @@ public class Compiler implements MessageConsumer {
     if (variantFolder != null)
       includeFolders.add(variantFolder);
 
-    List<File> objectFiles = compileFiles(buildFolder, coreFolder, true,
-                                          includeFolders);
-    if (variantFolder != null)
-      objectFiles.addAll(compileFiles(buildFolder, variantFolder, true,
-                                      includeFolders));
-
-    for (File file : objectFiles) {
+    List<File> coreObjectFiles = compileFiles(buildFolder, coreFolder, true,
+                                              includeFolders);
+    for (File file : coreObjectFiles) {
 
       PreferencesMap dict = new PreferencesMap(prefs);
       dict.put("ide_version", "" + Base.REVISION);
@@ -727,6 +725,10 @@ public class Compiler implements MessageConsumer {
       }
       execAsynchronously(cmdArray);
     }
+
+    if (variantFolder != null)
+      objectFiles.addAll(compileFiles(buildFolder, variantFolder, true,
+                                      includeFolders));
   }
 			
   // 4. link it all together into the .elf file
diff --git a/app/src/processing/app/debug/TargetPlatform.java b/app/src/processing/app/debug/TargetPlatform.java
index 3dfb29f6e..2666347fa 100644
--- a/app/src/processing/app/debug/TargetPlatform.java
+++ b/app/src/processing/app/debug/TargetPlatform.java
@@ -71,7 +71,7 @@ public class TargetPlatform {
     if (!boardsFile.exists() || !boardsFile.canRead())
       throw new TargetPlatformException(
           format(_("Could not find boards.txt in {0}. Is it pre-1.5?"),
-                 boardsFile.getAbsolutePath()));
+                 folder.getAbsolutePath()));
 
     // Load boards
     try {
diff --git a/hardware/arduino/avr/cores/arduino/Arduino.h b/hardware/arduino/avr/cores/arduino/Arduino.h
index ec1389e14..630f0d6d7 100644
--- a/hardware/arduino/avr/cores/arduino/Arduino.h
+++ b/hardware/arduino/avr/cores/arduino/Arduino.h
@@ -118,6 +118,7 @@ typedef uint8_t boolean;
 typedef uint8_t byte;
 
 void init(void);
+void initVariant(void);
 
 void pinMode(uint8_t, uint8_t);
 void digitalWrite(uint8_t, uint8_t);
@@ -194,20 +195,21 @@ extern const uint8_t PROGMEM digital_pin_to_timer_PGM[];
 #define TIMER0B 2
 #define TIMER1A 3
 #define TIMER1B 4
-#define TIMER2  5
-#define TIMER2A 6
-#define TIMER2B 7
+#define TIMER1C 5
+#define TIMER2  6
+#define TIMER2A 7
+#define TIMER2B 8
 
-#define TIMER3A 8
-#define TIMER3B 9
-#define TIMER3C 10
-#define TIMER4A 11
-#define TIMER4B 12
-#define TIMER4C 13
-#define TIMER4D 14	
-#define TIMER5A 15
-#define TIMER5B 16
-#define TIMER5C 17
+#define TIMER3A 9
+#define TIMER3B 10
+#define TIMER3C 11
+#define TIMER4A 12
+#define TIMER4B 13
+#define TIMER4C 14
+#define TIMER4D 15
+#define TIMER5A 16
+#define TIMER5B 17
+#define TIMER5C 18
 
 #ifdef __cplusplus
 } // extern "C"
diff --git a/hardware/arduino/avr/cores/arduino/main.cpp b/hardware/arduino/avr/cores/arduino/main.cpp
index 0ad696215..091c365fc 100644
--- a/hardware/arduino/avr/cores/arduino/main.cpp
+++ b/hardware/arduino/avr/cores/arduino/main.cpp
@@ -19,10 +19,17 @@
 
 #include <Arduino.h>
 
+// Weak empty variant initialization function.
+// May be redefined by variant files.
+void initVariant() __attribute__((weak));
+void initVariant() { }
+
 int main(void)
 {
 	init();
 
+	initVariant();
+
 #if defined(USBCON)
 	USBDevice.attach();
 #endif
diff --git a/hardware/arduino/avr/cores/arduino/wiring_analog.c b/hardware/arduino/avr/cores/arduino/wiring_analog.c
index 8feead957..48a9ef52d 100644
--- a/hardware/arduino/avr/cores/arduino/wiring_analog.c
+++ b/hardware/arduino/avr/cores/arduino/wiring_analog.c
@@ -160,6 +160,14 @@ void analogWrite(uint8_t pin, int val)
 				break;
 			#endif
 
+			#if defined(TCCR1A) && defined(COM1C1)
+			case TIMER1C:
+				// connect pwm to pin on timer 1, channel B
+				sbi(TCCR1A, COM1C1);
+				OCR1C = val; // set pwm duty
+				break;
+			#endif
+
 			#if defined(TCCR2) && defined(COM21)
 			case TIMER2:
 				// connect pwm to pin on timer 2
diff --git a/hardware/arduino/avr/cores/arduino/wiring_digital.c b/hardware/arduino/avr/cores/arduino/wiring_digital.c
index be323b1df..df94cc1c5 100644
--- a/hardware/arduino/avr/cores/arduino/wiring_digital.c
+++ b/hardware/arduino/avr/cores/arduino/wiring_digital.c
@@ -84,6 +84,9 @@ static void turnOffPWM(uint8_t timer)
 		#if defined(TCCR1A) && defined(COM1B1)
 		case TIMER1B:   cbi(TCCR1A, COM1B1);    break;
 		#endif
+		#if defined(TCCR1A) && defined(COM1C1)
+		case TIMER1C:   cbi(TCCR1A, COM1C1);    break;
+		#endif
 		
 		#if defined(TCCR2) && defined(COM21)
 		case  TIMER2:   cbi(TCCR2, COM21);      break;